A grieving mum is warning youngsters of the dangers of drugs after her son lost his battle against heroin.

Carol Eckstein called Alan her 'prince' and was proud of him for fighting his addiction.

Alan, 24, started dabbling in drugs when he was just 14 but he desperately wanted to kick the habit.

He was receiving help from support organisations and had been clean for around five months before his death.

But on April 8 he was found collapsed in public toilets in Trinity Square, Gateshead, and died from a suspected heroin overdose.

Carol, 43, of Blake Walk, Gateshead, said: "He had been battling with drug problems for quite a while but was doing so well. He went into rehab and was clean. He just had a relapse and must have gone and got some drugs."

She said he had walked into the toilets at around 5.25pm. An attendant called out to him five minutes later because it was time to close. But, on receiving no reply, he alerted the emergency services and Alan was found collapsed.

A spokesman from Northumbria Police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death and results from toxicology tests were awaited.

Carol said: "I had spoken to him the day before and he said `I'll see you tomorrow mam'. He was always telling me he loved me.

"I was worried about him because he was the type of lad who would come home. But then I got a phone call from the police telling me what had happened."

Alan, the eldest of six siblings, had been receiving help from support group 24/7 and the Gateshead alcohol and drug team from the end of January to the beginning of March. After that he joined Queen Elizabeth Hospital's Tranwell Unit.

Carol is proud of the way he battled against his problems and now wants other youngsters to know the dangers of drug abuse.

She said: "He started off with cannabis when he was young and moved on to other things. There is a lot of ignorance about drug abuse. Kids will just start taking cannabis or Ecstasy and not realise that it leads to other substances.

"A lot of people will think Alan was just a heroin addict but they don't realise he had feelings too and wanted to get rid of his problems. He quite often said `I really want to get off it, mam' and used to be in tears.

"He suffered from depression too but he was nearly always a happy person. He was a joker and made everyone laugh all the time.

"He loved kids and looked after his younger brothers and sisters. He used to tell young children in the neighbourhood `don't you ever take drugs. They are really bad for you'.

"He wanted others to learn from his experiences. Like him, I don't want to see other people going through what he did and I hope to get this message across to young people."

A former student of Thomas Hepburn Community School, enjoyed camping and often made trips to Derwent Valley with his friends.

He came from a close-knit family. His dad Andy, step-dad Gary, brother Michael and sisters Natalie, Ebony, Niemi and Elle are still trying to come to terms with his death. Alan shared the same birthday as his mum.

His sister, Ebony, 15, said: "We had a very close relationship. He was always joking with everybody and liked karaoke. He loved children and was always seen carrying babies. Kids from the estate would just come in to see him and give him a kiss."

A funeral service was being held at St James and St Bede's Church, Gateshead, today. The family organised for a horse and carriage to make its way to the church, escorted by police. Carol also hoped to hold a collection for donations to a drug support service.

She added: "He was like a prince to me and we will have a fitting final journey for him."